Taxi Driver Online

A bit like the previous piece from here. Thus all very routine, and may be of interest to non-anoraks and locals as an explainer, but not much here for anoraks


Huntingdonshire taxi drivers lose licences after complaints

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/l ... s-31802377

Huntingdonshire District Council has set out how many taxi licences it has revoked or suspended in recent few months.

Three taxi drivers in Huntingdonshire had their licences revoked following complaints and a committee hearing in the last few months. More than 20 vehicle licences were also suspended due to damage and defects found in the taxis.

The data has been published by Huntingdonshire District Council in a report presented to councillors at a meeting on Thursday (June 5). The authority is responsible for issuing taxi licences for the district. It is also responsible for reviewing, suspending, and revoking licences.

Between March 1, and May 22, the district council took action against nine taxi drivers, 27 taxis, and one operator, the report said.

The licences for 26 taxis were suspended, mainly due to the cars having damage or defects. One vehicle licence was revoked following a committee hearing.

Five taxi drivers had their licenses suspended, mainly due to medical examinations being overdue. Three taxi drivers had their licences revoked, two due to complaints and one following a committee hearing.

A licensing officer said: “Obviously the [numbers of] vehicles are quite high, quite a lot of those can be involved with accident damage and obviously we suspend the vehicle. At the last meeting I updated to say that when they go for their compliance tests now we do take into account dangerous defects, as well as major defects, and therefore the vehicle can be suspended for that reason.”

Councillors were also updated on the number of taxi licences that currently have penalty points issued to them, including a taxi driver who has six points following “aggressive behaviour towards the public”. Officers explained that the maximum number of points that can be issued before action is taken differs depending on the type of licence issued.

They explained that vehicle licences are issued for one year, but a driver or operator licence can be issued for between three to five years. Officers said for a one year licence the maximum points anyone can receive is six and for a three or five year licence the maximum number of points is 12.

Once that total point limit is reached officers said the district council can trigger a review of the licence. Councillor Stephen Ferguson said he appreciated the penalty points system, as he said it showed how action could be taken when people report issues.

He said: “I think we have all been in the back of a taxi cab where the driver has not perhaps behaved appropriately. I know most of these [issues listed in the report] are down to mechanical failures of the vehicle, but there is one down to aggressive behaviour towards the public.

“You can feel if you complain about it nothing is going to happen, but this is a clear record of how residents' issues with drivers, obviously they are going to be investigated fairly, can lead to negative consequences for the drivers if they don’t behave appropriately.”

No, me neither

Maybe it's just me, but that reads like previously they only took account of major defects, and not dangerous ones

But don't forget the last article of this type from Huntingdonshire contained this wee gem


And anyone else's spellchecker not like 'Huntingdonshire', and it suggests 'interrelationship' instead?

Can't really see the interrelationship between 'interrelationship' and 'Huntingdonshire'

In the past there have been local vehicles which lost their plate locally and relicesed Huntingdonshire

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Echoes of Fife here, but I'd guess this hyperventilating is more the councillor's reaction as opposed to the officialdom's.

But again they seem to be using the MoT failure categorisations to report this stuff in official papers, and thus using the terms 'major' and 'dangerous', which gets councillors huffing and puffing.

But, like last time round, it's pretty much routine stuff that no-one would bat an eyelid at in the vast majority of councils, except for the very worst cases - get it fixed and bring it back, the vast majority of the time

(Headline here is from BBC's version, but this is the Hunts Post's version, which is basically identical but slightly longer.)


Major taxi defects frightening, says councillor

https://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/258099 ... -licences/

The number of taxis found to have dangerous or major defects has been described as “frightening”.

Huntingdonshire District Council suspended 23 taxi licences between October and January 10, many due to defects being found with the car.

This included, 10 licences being suspended due to major defects with the car, four were suspended due to dangerous defects, five were suspended due to accident damage, and two drivers were suspended for failing to provide a medical.

Two licences were also revoked in that period.

A report presented to a district council licensing and protection committee meeting this week (January 28) said dangerous defects were categorised as defects that “pose an immediate risk to the driver, passenger, or public safety”.

The report said dangerous defects could include things like severely worn brake pads or disks, tyres with exposed cords, cracked suspension parks, or fuel leaks.

Major defects were described as “serious faults that affect the safety, environmental impact, or overall roadworthiness of a vehicles”.

The report said these defects may not pose an immediate danger, but need to be repaired before the car would pass an MOT.

Examples of what would be classed as a major defect include a brake warning light illuminated, headlamp not working on one side, damaged tyres, and windscreen wipers not functioning properly.

Councillor Barry Banks said: “I find it a bit frightening, obviously how long have they been driving round with these major defects?”

Cllr Banks asked if any measures were taken to check taxis are compliant, or whether they only get picked up when the car is taken to a garage.

Officers said they do undertake additional checks, giving examples of linking up with Cambridgeshire County Council to do checks at schools, and working with police to stop and check if taxis are safe.

Councillor Marge Beuttell asked for more information on how a driver would be suspended for failing to provide a medical.

Officers explained that drivers have to provide an updated medical every six years, or yearly for drivers aged 65 and older.

They explained that if this is not provided they will chase and give the driver a period of time to get that in to the district council.

However, they said if the driver fails to do so they suspend them on safety grounds.

Another PHTM headline I noticed recently, which seems a bit, er, overwrought. Doesn't this just mean 23 cars failed the annual inspection? Or something like that

I wonder how FRIGHTENING the results are for PHTM members' annual inspections?



FRIGHTENING SAFETY FAILURES: 23 TAXI LICENCES SUSPENDED IN HUNTINGDONSHIRE

https://www.phtm.co.uk/news/8538/phtm-n ... ngdonshire




Next in PHTM - TERRIFYING safety breach as next-door-neighbours car fails MoT. Or HORRIFYING safety failure as number plate bulb goes out on brother-in-law's car